This disclosure generally relates to an apparatus for containing source materials in a manufacturing process. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an apparatus that contains multiple radioactive source materials in as small of a footprint as possible.
Manufacturing and productions of radioisotopes such as those used in medical contexts often utilize one or more radioactive source materials. Handling of radioactive source materials typically involves shielding the radioactive source materials from the external environment.
Some materials suitable for shielding for radioactive materials can be lead, tungsten, or concrete. Having a shielded container for each radioactive source material can become unwieldy and takes up a substantial amount of space in a manufacturing facility. Thus, there is a need for a device and system capable of holding multiple radioactive source materials of a same or a different type, while minimizing the footprint for such a device.
Moreover, vials contain radioactive source materials and can be delivered at different times and the vials can contain different amounts of radioactivity. Thus, there is a need to maintain multiple vials so that each can be tracked separately, rather than mixing them all into a single larger reservoir.
A first aspect of this disclosure pertains to a multiple source container having a cap attachable to a housing. The housing can include a plurality of source vials and a plurality of transfer vials.
A second aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the cap and the housing are made from a radiation shielding material.
A third aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the plurality of source vials and the plurality of transfer vials are adapted to store radioactive materials therein.
A fourth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect further includes a plurality of ports, wherein a hole is provided at a bottom of each of the plurality of source vials and each of the plurality of transfer vials, wherein the hole is each coupled to one of the plurality of ports respective.
A fifth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the cap further includes an external vent configured to vent from the housing to an external environment when the cap is affixed to the housing.
A sixth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the housing includes a plurality of dividing walls, wherein each of the plurality of dividing walls separates two of the plurality of source vials from one another, two of the plurality of transfer vials from one another, or one of the plurality of source vials from one of the plurality of transfer vials.
A seventh aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein each of the dividing walls further includes a balancing vent.
An eighth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the housing includes a fluid trap.
A ninth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the cap further includes a vent channel at a bottom surface of the cap, the vent channel is positioned to provide venting to at least one of the plurality of source vials or the plurality of transfer vials.
A tenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the fourth aspect, wherein the housing further includes a base having a manifold, and wherein the plurality of ports are provided in the manifold.
An eleventh aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the tenth aspect, wherein the manifold further includes a mount for receiving one or more probes.
A twelfth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the fourth aspect, wherein each of the plurality of ports is a one-way valve or a two-way valve.
A thirteenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the cap and the housing are each constructed out of a radiation shielding material.
A fourteenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, wherein the plurality of source vials are each provided along a parameter of the housing, and wherein the plurality of transfer vials are each provided proximal to a center of the housing.
A fifteenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the multiple source container of the first aspect, where a bottom of each of the plurality of source vials and each of the plurality of transfer vials are conical in shape.
A sixteenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to a method for handling multiple source materials including providing a multiple source container including a cap attachable to a housing; and the housing comprising a plurality of source vials and a plurality of transfer vials; and providing a first fluid in a first source vial that is one of the plurality of source vials.
A seventeenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the method of the sixteenth aspect further including transferring the fluid from the first source vial to one of a plurality of transfer vials.
An eighteenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the method of the seventeenth aspect further including transferring the fluid from the one of the plurality of transfer vials back to the first source vial.
A nineteenth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the method of the sixteenth aspect further including providing a second fluid in a second source vial that is another one of the plurality of source vials, wherein the first fluid is different from the second fluid.
A twentieth aspect of this disclosure pertains to the method of the sixteenth aspect, wherein the fluid is a radioactive material.
Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of this disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the invention. It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific illustrated embodiments. The features of the invention disclosed herein in the description, drawings, and claims can be significant, both individually and in any desired combinations, for the operation of the invention in its various embodiments. Features from one embodiment can be used in other embodiments of the invention.
As shown in
Referring to
The cap 200 can include an external vent 210 (see
The cap 200 can also include one or more first fastening bores 220 to receive one or more fasteners (not shown). The fasteners can secure the cap 200 onto the housing 300 such that the cap 200 is attachable to and detachable from the housing 300.
The housing 300 can include one or more source vials 310 and one or more transfer vials 320. In the illustrated embodiments shown in
It is to be understood that the locations and arrangements of the source vials 310 and the transfer vials 320 can vary. For example, in other embodiments, the transfer vials 310 can be provided along the parameter of the housing 300 and the source vials 310 can be provided in the center of the housing 300. In additional embodiments, the source vials 310 and the transfer vials 320 can be provided alongside of each other. Such and other variations and arrangements are also within the spirit of this disclosure.
As best shown in
In some embodiments, the source vials 310 and/or the transfer vials 320 can each include a bottom having a hole 340 for filling and/or draining. The bottom of the vial can have a conical shape or other suitable shapes such that all or substantially all of the fluid can be drained from the bottom of the vial through the hole 340, which can increase efficiency by processing all of the fluid each cycle and while leaving minimal residue behind and can also minimize carryover between subsequent batches of fluid. Fluid lines can be kept small so that the surface tension maintains a column of fluid that can be effectively pulled, and air cleared leaving minimal residue behind.
Returning to
Moreover, the housing 300 can include one or more balancing vents 308. In some embodiments, the balancing vents 308 can be provided on the dividing walls 306 between two or more vials. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiments in
As fluid is pulled for processing from the source vial 310, the fluid can be stored temporarily in the transfer vial 320 and then returned to the source vial 310 it began in. The balancing vents 308 can ensure that the total volume of liquid and gas in the multiple source container 100 remain constant or substantially constant. The balancing vents 308 can also balance the volume of fluid removed with gas from an adjacent vial where fluid was added, thus reducing the amount of external air from entering into the multiple source container 100 while reducing the chance that radioactivity can inadvertently escape through the external vent 210.
The housing 300 can also include a groove 360 along a parameter encircling the source vials 310 and the transfer vials 320. The cap 200 can include a seal (not shown) such as an O-ring that can be fitted into the groove 360 when the cap 200 is coupled with the housing 300, thus creating a sealed environment within the multiple source container 100. The sealed environment can allow the liquid that can exist in the source vials 310 and/or the transfer vials 320 to be pressurized from above, which can allow fluids to be pushed out of the multiple source container 100, rather than pulled out under vacuum with a pump or other similar devices.
One or more second fastening bores 370 can be provided on the housing 300. Each of the second fastening bores 370 can correspond with one of the first fastening bores 220, allowing the fastener to secure the cap 200 to the housing 300.
Referring to
A connecting bore 342 can be provided to provide fluid communication between the holes 340 and the ports 390. The number of the ports 390 provided can depend on the number of vials within the housing 300. For example, in the illustrated embodiment shown in
The housing 300 can further include one or more mounting points 382 to attach the housing 300 to a bracket (not shown) that can hold housing 300 in a shielding cavity. Moreover, the manifold 380 can also include a mount 384 for one or more conductivity probes to detect if there has been a leak or spill and to alert of potentially radioactive fluid in a spill tray of the bracket.
As best shown in
The multiple source container 100 can be constructed from a radiation shielding material. For example, the cap 200 and/or the housing 300 can be constructed out of lead, tungsten, tin, antimony, bismuth, concrete, or other suitable materials. In further embodiments, the multiple source container 100 or component(s) thereof can be constructed from non-shielding materials such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) plastic.
As can be appreciated, the multiple source container 100 can be used with many and multiple types of fluids. For example, if the multiple source container 100 includes eight source vials 310, the multiple source container 100 can store up to eight different types of source materials. In some embodiments, the source fluids to be placed in the source vials 310 can include radioactive materials such as molybdenum-98 or molybdenum-100.
Specific embodiments of a multiple source container according to this disclosure have been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention can be made and used. It should be understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of this invention and its different aspects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that this invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. Features described in one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments. The subject disclosure is understood to encompass this disclosure and any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/431,413, filed Dec. 9, 2022, entitled, “Multiple Source Container”, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63431413 | Dec 2022 | US |